Parties
Identify the employer legal entity and the employee by full legal name, including corporate identifiers for the employer and any DBA names where relevant.
A well-drafted Permanent Employment Agreement reduces disputes, aligns expectations, and documents lawful pay and benefits. It supports regulatory compliance (wage-and-hour, nondiscrimination, tax reporting) and provides enforceable terms for confidentiality, IP assignment, and restrictive covenants when permitted by law.
Employers and HR professionals draft and issue these agreements; candidates or employees review and sign them during onboarding or role changes.
Signed agreements become part of the employee file and inform payroll setup, benefit enrollment, and any future amendment or separation processes.
Identify the employer legal entity and the employee by full legal name, including corporate identifiers for the employer and any DBA names where relevant.
State that employment is permanent/indefinite or at-will, define the start date, and explain whether the employee is exempt or nonexempt under the FLSA.
Detail salary, pay frequency, bonus structure, equity grants (if any), payroll deductions, and conditions for raises or incentives.
Describe health insurance eligibility, retirement plans, leave entitlements, enrollment windows, and notice responsibilities for benefits changes.
Include nondisclosure terms, scope of confidential information, permitted disclosures, and duration of confidentiality obligations after separation.
Specify termination notice, grounds for cause, severance (if any), post-termination obligations, and dispute resolution procedures.
| Field | Configuration |
|---|---|
| Signature | Required; signer name and date fields set as mandatory |
| Routing Order | HR → Legal → Employee |
| Authentication | Email with optional SMS code for added verification |
| Storage | Auto-save signed PDF to HR document repository |
Choose a platform that supports PDF/Word imports, audit trails, and secure signer authentication to meet legal and privacy obligations.
Ensure effective date aligns with payroll and benefit eligibility
Complete within three business days of hire
Collect W-4 and state tax forms at onboarding
Follow plan-specific enrollment deadlines
Note any 30–90 day review or performance milestones
| Document | Purpose | Key difference |
|---|---|---|
| Offer Letter | job offer | often nonbinding summary |
| Employment Agreement | ongoing terms | full binding contract |
| Independent Contractor | vendor services | not employment |
| Separation Agreement | end of employment | severance and releases |
Save signed copies as PDF/A for long-term archival and as DOCX for editable master copies; include an embedded audit trail when available for evidentiary purposes.
Attach completed I-9, W-4, and any state tax withholding forms to the employee file for onboarding compliance and payroll setup.
Include benefit election forms, proof of dependents if needed, and enrollment confirmation to document eligibility and effective dates.
Attach offer letter, confidentiality agreements, and any certification or license copies referenced in the employment terms.
A small investment firm standardized agreements to reduce negotiation time and ensure compliance.
A regional real estate company adopted electronic execution for hiring field staff.
The HR Manager typically initiates the agreement, confirms compensation and benefits setup, and ensures onboarding documents are complete. They coordinate legal review and maintain the executed document in the employee record for compliance.
A company's General Counsel or delegated legal reviewer approves restrictive covenants, IP assignment, and termination language. Their sign-off reduces enforceability risk and ensures adherence to federal and state law.